It’s win or go home for Belgium, while Croatia will be looking for no worse than a draw if they want to advance to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup on Thursday. The Belgians are coming off a 2-0 loss to Morocco after defeating Canada 1-0 in their FIFA World Cup 2022 opener last week. Croatia, meanwhile, knocked off Canada 4-1 after drawing with Morocco 0-0. Croatia lost to France 4-2 in the 2018 World Cup final.
Kickoff at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, is set for 10 a.m. ET. Croatia and Belgium are both +165 (risk $100 to win $165) on the money line in the latest Croatia vs. Belgium odds from Caesars Sportsbook. A draw is priced at +225 and the over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any Belgium vs. Croatia picks, you need to see the World Cup predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven soccer simulation model.
The SportsLine soccer simulation model evaluates a team’s offensive and defensive capabilities based on the game situation. Then, it assigns a grade using an expected payout-to-probability ratio. The model was accurate on 56% of all picks during the Champions League group stage and returned more than $1,000 to $100 bettors on its A+ picks. It also went 17-9-2 (+526) on spread picks to start the World Cup. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now the model has dialed in on Belgium vs. Croatia and just revealed its 2022 World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see all of the model’s soccer picks. Here are the World Cup 2022 odds and trends for Croatia vs. Belgium:
Belgium vs. Croatia spread: Croatia -0.5 (+160)Belgium vs. Croatia over/under: 2.5 goalsBelgium vs. Croatia money line: Croatia +165, Belgium +165, Draw +225CRO: Croatians are 11-8-5 in 24 all-time World Cup matchesBEL: Belgians’ best finish was third at the 2018 World CupBelgium vs. Croatia picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Croatia
The Croatians are looking to repeat their success from the last World Cup when they reached the finals. Among those helping lead the team is forward Ivan Perisic, who scored the tying goal against England in the 2018 semifinals, which Croatia would go on to win 2-1. He also scored a goal in the final against France, but the Croatians would fall short. Perisic has 32 career goals for the national team in 118 appearances. He currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League, appearing in 21 matches this year.
Also helping power the team is forward Andrej Kramaric, who has 22 goals in 76 international appearances for Croatia. He registered a goal against Russia in the 2018 quarterfinals. He has been playing professionally since 2008 and is currently a member of 1899 Hoffenheim of Bundesliga. He has three goals in 15 appearances for them this season and has registered 106 goals in 234 matches since joining the team on loan in 2015. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Belgium
The Belgians are also looking to ride the momentum of their success in the last World Cup, when they placed third. After losing 1-0 to France in the semifinals, they rallied to defeat England 2-0 in the third-place match. One of the leaders of that team was forward Romelu Lukaku, who scored four goals in the 2018 World Cup. In 103 appearances for the team, Lukaku has registered 68 goals. He is also a striker for Inter Milan of Serie A, on loan from Chelsea of the Premier League. In five matches for Inter Milan, he has two goals. Lukaku missed the 2022 World Cup opener with a thigh injury, made an appearance in the loss on Sunday.
Also helping power the team is forward Michy Batshuayi, who has registered 27 goals in 50 international appearances. He has scored two World Cup goals during his time on the national squad, including one this year, the game-winner over Canada. Batshuayi, who has played professionally since 2010, is a member of Fenerbahce of Super Lig. In 13 appearances this season, he has eight goals. Since turning pro, he has scored 146 times in 401 matches. See which team to pick here.
How to make Croatia vs. Belgium picks
The model has taken an in-depth look at the Croatia vs. Belgium match from every angle. It’s backing over 2.5 goals and also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s FIFA World Cup 2022 picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Croatia vs. Belgium in the 2022 FIFA World Cup? And which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side to back, all from the model that hit 56% of its Champions League picks, and find out.